*Atwater's at Belvedere Square and Kenilworth is best known for its rustic breads; but with the opening of a couple of retail locations with cafes, its soups have become a draw as well. Typically there are four offered: a seafood, meat, and two vegetarian, at least one vegan. This Saturday the selections were mushroom, shrimp and crab bisque; cabbage beef; potato-cheese with broccoli and chard; and beet and lentil. In season, Atwater's uses produce from local suppliers like One Straw Farm.

*The new Bouillabaisse Cafe (316 Park Ave.) has three soups daily (none of them bouillabaisse), usually hearty selections like ham and bean, chicken and dumpling, 16-bean and chili, made by the owner's wife. Don't be thrown off by the Asian facade; this place is American through and through.

*Two or three soups are available every day at all the Donna's locations, but I recommend the ones Chef Andy is turning out in Charles Village, which might be a Mediterranean white bean, Moroccan chickpea, tomato bisque or cream of cauliflower. Seafood, meat and chicken soups are also in the mix, but there is always one vegetarian one.

*One World Cafe in Homewood has three or four soups daily: miso, vegetarian chili and a soup or two of the day. There might be one vegan, like black bean, and one cream-based, like creamy corn chowder. The kitchen also produces various Asian soups like coconut milk-based Thai soups and Indian curried soups.

*The Vietnamese food at Saigon Remembered (5857 York Road) in Govans gets mixed reviews, but the pho and Thai noodle soups are usually reliable. The pho really is a meal in itself, with lots of broth, thinly sliced beef, slithery noodles and a plate of bean sprouts, lemon, hot peppers and cilantro to add at your discretion.

*Sascha's 527 in Mount Vernon always has two soups available.  For dinner, there are Maryland crab and what's called on the menu "the other great soup." At lunch the soups could include Thai vegetable, Tuscan spinach and artichoke, mushroom bisque or lemongrass pea soup. Thanks to SIM for reminding me of this place.

*Twin brothers moved from L.A. and opened Soup's On in Perry Hall in January. The more than 250 varieties are made from scratch: vegan, vegetarian, meat, seafood and dessert. Soups come with spoon, napkin and crostini. You can also buy pints (refrigerated or frozen). The top sellers are Maryland crab, French onion, chicken vegetable noodle, and cream of crab. A big plus: They are low sodium.

*Soups On at Rose's Cookies in Hampden (842 W. 36th St.) isn't connected with the Perry Hall Soups On. Chef/owner Cynthia Shea has three or four kinds every day (always one vegetarian) and presents the bowl prettily arranged with Bonaparte bread. The day I called, the choices were chicken, sausage, orzo and spinach; split pea and prosciutto; and carrot ginger.

*Soup is the single biggest seller at the Stone Mill Bakery in Lutherville. The same guy has been making them for nine years, and it's his full-time job. The Stone Mill sells 50 quarts of no-fat vegetable a day. Other hits include tomato basil, turkey chili, chicken noodle and black bean. Fall soups are available now: carrot ginger, butternut squash and pumpkin.

*Whole Foods supermarkets always have a couple of soups available on their hot food bar, as well as lots of varieties that are refrigerated to take home. I've enjoyed the butternut squash bisque, minestrone and gazpacho; but never investigated much further. Other people, however, swear by the seafood soups and chili. Interestingly, the Web site has recipes for tons of soups that seem to be the same ones they sell.